Dye Project: Western Jack o' Lantern

For my next mushroom dyeing project, I'm using Western Jack-o'-Lantern (Omphalotus olivascens), which produces purples, grays, and greens with protein fibers like wool and silk. The pigment is highly pH-sensitive: acidic baths yield purples and grays, while alkaline baths produce mossy to deep forest greens. If possible, I plan to try producing both, although I have a limited quantity of dried mushrooms.

Western Jack-o'-Lantern is an orange to brown-colored, gilled, poisonous mushroom, endemic to the North American west coast. It thrives in coastal oak forest and fruits through fall and winter. It has several look-a-likes including Cantharellus cibarius. The Jack-o'-Lantern mushroom has true, blade-like gills (rather than ridges). Omphalotus species are saprotrophic (meaning they grow directly on wood, typically oak, madrone, and eucalyptus), and are bioluminescent.

Western Jack-o'-Lantern
(Image by Ron Pastorino, Creative Commons) 

Key Supplies

I'm using my usual dye equipment, including a convection burner, non-reactive stainless steel pot, candy thermometer, strainer, cheese cloth, various plastic pails and containers for soaking and rinsing fabric, digital kitchen scale, stir stick, a mild pH-neutral soap (such as Synthropol or Professional Textile Detergent), rubber gloves, and a face mask. Specific supplies and equipment includes:

• Dried or fresh Omphalotus olivascens mushrooms. Use a 1:1 ratio of mushrooms-to-fabric. I purchased one ounce of foraged, dried mushrooms from a supplier on Etsy (The Constant Forager).

Caution: This mushroom is highly toxic if ingested, and can cause skin irritation. Always wear gloves when handling, and use dedicated dye pots and utensils when dyeing.

• Protein-based fiber or fabric, like wool or silk. I'm using two 100% silk scarves from Dharma Trading that have been scoured and mordanted with alum. For details, see Dye Project: Preparing Protein Fabric (Scour &  Mordant). Each scarf weighs one ounce or 28 grams, so I'll be dyeing two ounces of fabric. With a recommended ratio of 1:1 mushrooms-to-fabric, my ratio of 1:2 may yield paler results.

Dried Western Jack-o'-Lantern mushrooms

 

• pH modifiers. Since the pigment is highly pH-sensitive, you can change the color outcome by manipulating the acidity or alkalinity of the dye bath. I'll be using white vinegar (acidic) and washing soda or soda ash (alkaline) as modifiers.

• pH test strips. Test strips are useful for determining how acidic or alkaline the dye bath is.

• Modifiers (optional): Use Iron (Ferrous Sulfate) to shift colors toward darker greens and grays. I may want to add it as a modifier to the dye bath to manipulate it to a darker color.

Extract the Dye

Extracting color from mushrooms is very similar to extracting color from plants. Chop the mushrooms into pieces, cover with water, bring to a simmer, and then simmer to extract the color. The process is the same whether you're using fresh or dried mushrooms.

Break the fresh or dried mushroom into pieces

First, break the mushrooms into small pieces (stems and caps). Since this mushroom is toxic, I wear rubber gloves to protect my hands. Place the mushroom pieces in a non-reactive pot and cover with two gallons of water. Color was released into the water almost immediately, and the pH registered 6 (mildly acid).

Color is released almost immediately

Bring the temperature slowly to around 150-180 °F (the Regional Palettes article cited below recommends 165 °F as the ideal for Western Jack-o'-Lantern, but it is unclear if that applies to extracting dye or to dyeing wool). Simmer for 30 to 60 minutes until the mushrooms have released their color. The dye bath was a deep brown color, but with a tinge of red in certain light.

Western Jack-O-Lantern dye bath after simmering for an hour

Let the dye bath cool. Once cool, you can strain out the the mushroom solids using a sieve lined with cheese cloth. I let the mushrooms soak overnight to extract as much color as possible, and strained the dye bath the next day. Alternatively, if you are dyeing yarn, you can leave the mushrooms in the dye bath for a more mottled, intense hue, but it will take some time to pick the pieces out of the yarn. Surprisingly, the pH registered 5 at this time (moderately acid).

Straining the mushroom pieces out of the dye

When straining the mushroom pieces out of the dye, I was surprised to see that the brown liquid actually has a purple caste to it. I've been reading how complex mushroom colors are, and I can definitely see that. After straining the dye, looks like there is a little over three quarts to be divided into two batches for the two dye projects.

Dye Fabric Purple or Gray (Acidic)

For the first batch, I decided to try for a shade of purple, which is apparently tricky to achieve. You need to remove the fabric from the dye as soon as the purple color appears, after about 5-15 minutes in the dye pot. This is counter intuitive to most dye projects, in which you let the fabric soak in the dye until you achieve a darker or richer color, often overnight. However, in this case if you leave the fabric in the dye bath longer, the color quickly changes from purple to muddy grays or brown. I will try for a shade of purple, but be content with a shade of gray or brown!

The filtered dye has a definite purple cast to it

Place the dye in a clean non-reactive pot, and then add a generous splash of white vinegar to change the acidity of the dye bath to pH 4 - 5 (moderately acid). Test the pH of the dye bath, and add a little more vinegar as needed. My splash of vinegar might have been a little too generous, since the pH registered more like 3 (but still in the moderately acid range).

Pre-soak the fabric in warm water

Bring the temperature of the dye bath to 150-180 °F (I aimed for 165 °F, the temperature recommended in the Regional Palettes article cited below). This took about 30 minutes. While the dye bath is coming to temperature, pre-soak your wool or silk in warm water. This will improve how the fabric takes up the dye.

Distribute the fabric for an even uptake of dye

Add the fabric to the simmering dye pot and stir to distribute evenly. Add more water to cover if necessary. This will not dilute the dye; it just ensures a better of distribution of the dye to the fabric. Check the color frequently. Remove the fabric as soon as it turns purple (usually 5-15 minutes). If left in the bath too long, the color darkens into muddy grays or browns. This was a little tricky since I wasn't sure exactly what color of purple to look for, but I pulled the fabric out after about 10 minutes, and placed it on a plastic tray to let the color set. The color was initially slightly purple, but then changed to a lovely, complex gray.

Let the fabric cool (initially it was this purplish color)

Remove the fabric from the dye pot, and let it cool without rinsing to allow the color to set. Let it dry overnight for 24 hours before you rinse, so you don't change the pH. When cool, you can either rinse thoroughly in lukewarm water (optionally, add a splash of vinegar to the rinse water to maintain the acidity) and hang to dry, out of direct sunlight; or you can forgo rinsing, hang to dry, and rinse later. I chose the latter, to give the dye more time to set.

Two weeks later, I washed the fabric with a mild pH-neutral soap, such as Synthropol or Professional Textile Detergent, to wash out unbound dye, and hung to air dry, out of direct sunlight. The resulting color is a pale gray, with a hint of purple in certain light.

Dye Fabric "Green" (Alkaline)

For the second batch, I decided to try for a shade of olive green. If I wanted a darker shade of green, I could add iron (Ferrous Sulfate).

Place the dye in the clean non-reactive pot, and make the dye bath alkaline by adding washing soda (soda ash) to reach a pH of 8 to 10. To do this, add 1 teaspoon of soda ash at a time, testing after each addition. I added 1 teaspoon of soda ash to register a pH of 10 (possibly because my dye bath is fairly small). Note that the color goes from purple to brown during this process, which you want for producing green. 

Preparing to dye

Bring the temperature of the dye bath to a low heat (150 - 180 °F). This typically takes about 30-60 minutes. I brought the temperature to 160 °F. While the dye bath is coming to temperature, pre-soak your wool or silk in warm water. This improves how the fabric takes up the dye.

Pre-soaking the protein-based fabric in warm water

Add the fabric to the simmering dye pot and stir to distribute evenly. Add more water to cover if necessary. Simmer gently until you achieve the desired mossy or olive or forest green (about 30 to 45) minutes).

The photo doesn't show it, but the dye bath was a light olive green

The dye result was buttery yellow!

However, the fabric did not actually dye a shade of green—only a lovely shade of buttery yellow! In a last-ditch effort, I added 1/8 teaspoon of iron (Ferrous sulfate) to the dye bath, which turned a darker shade that looked more like a green olive. The pH registered between 10 and 11 (still strongly alkaline). I placed the ends of the silk scarf in the dye bath and simmered for another 45 minutes.

Simmering the scarf ends in dye modified with iron

Initially, the scarf ends looked like they darkened in color

Remove the fabric from the dye pot, and let it cool without rinsing to allow the color to set. Let it dry overnight for 24 hours before you rinse, so you don't change the pH. You can either rinse thoroughly in lukewarm water and hang to dry, out of direct sunlight; or you can forgo rinsing, hang to dry, and rinse later. I chose the latter, to give the dye more time to set. In my case, the ends still look buttery yellow, with no change towards green. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised—when looking at the Mushroom Color Atlas, the base pigment for fabric dyed with Omphalotus olivascens has a yellowish hue.

Two weeks later, I washed the fabric with a mild pH-neutral soap, such as Synthropol or Professional Textile Detergent, to wash out unbound dye, and hung to air dry, out of direct sunlight. The resulting color is a very pale yellow, and almost white in certain light.

The Results

The final results of dyeing with dried Western Jack-o'-Lantern mushrooms were quite pale. The alkaline dye bath yielded a very pale yellow shade, that is almost white in some light; there is definitely no green shade, even with the iron added to the dye bath later in the process. The acidic dye bath yielded a lovely and complex shade of gray, with a tinge of purple in certain light; there was a brief shade of purple during the dyeing process, but it quickly turned gray. 

Left-to-right: the alkaline dye bath yielded pale yellow; the acid bath yielded gray

In retrospect,  I probably should have procured more of the dried mushroom, or focused on one color or the other. A 1:1 ratio of mushrooms-to-fabric was recommended, and I used a ratio of 1:2 in order to try both an acidic and an alkaline dye bath. You can't blame a girl for trying!

In the past, I've often kept the dye bath for future project, to experiment with a second dye session.  Since I had such pale results, I decided not to keep the dye bath for future use.

For the alkaline dye bath, I should have either pre-mordanted the silk with iron as well as alum, before dyeing, or included the iron as a mordant additive to the dye bath from the beginning. Still, it was fun to experiment.

Another factor in the dye results may have been temperature. My research indicated that the dye bath for Western Jack-o'-Lantern mushrooms should be between 150-180 °F. I tried to keep the temperature at about 165 °F when extracting and dyeing, but maybe that was too hot. According to the Color Atlas Batch Notes, 140 °F might be a better temperature to use. See: "https://mushroomcoloratlas.com/mushroom/omphalotus_olivascens/" and search the Index for 

Even though I didn't get some of the vibrant shades of purple, gray, or green that I saw other dyers achieving, I had a lot of fun trying new things and experimenting along the way!

Learn More

• Get an (Ompha)lotus that purple! Frolicking in Fiber, February 27, 2019. https://frolickinginfiber.home.blog/2019/02/27/get-an-omphalotus-that-purple/

• Mushroom Color Atlas - use the online Color Atlas for specific batch notes and pigment studies on Omphalotus olivascens. This is a great resource, and is based on The Mushroom Color Atlas: A Guide to Dyes and Pigments Made from Fungi, by Julie Beeler.

• Natural Dyeing With Mushrooms: Omphalotus olivascens (Western Jack-o'-Lantern). Myra Made Color: https://youtu.be/fvrM964uxNo

• Omphalotus olivascens. Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omphalotus_olivascens

• Regional Palettes: A Closer Look at Northern California Dye Mushrooms. Mycopigments, January 11, 2014. This article describes several exceptional dye mushrooms found in Northern California, including Omphalotus olivascens, the Western Jack-o'-Lantern. https://www.mycopigments.com/blogs/news/regional-palettes-a-closer-look-at-northern-california-dye-mushrooms

Field Notes for July 2026

Welcome back to Field Notes!

July 1, 2026

Red-flowering Currants. The Ribes sanguineum is producing fruit! This hardy, deciduous shrub is native to western North America, attracts pollinators, and is a highly valued landscape plant for native ecosystems (we have several of them in the side and front yards). The shrub produces vibrant clusters of spring blossoms in red or deep pink, spicy-scented foliage, and dark purple-to-black berries in summer. Birds and wildlife love the berries, but they are a little bland to human taste, compared to true fruiting currants. However, I'm wondering if they would produce natural dye for a future project!

Red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)

July 4, 2026 🎆

America's 250th Anniversary. Today we're celebrating America's semi-quincentennial anniversary. The anniversary commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, when the thirteen American colonies declared their freedom from British rule. This milestone reflects the founding ideals of liberty, equality, and self-governance, and honors the efforts of the Founding Fathers and early Americans who fought for independence and established the United States as a republic. We'll be attending a BBQ at the Pardee Home Museum in Oakland. The Pardee House is the historic home of California's Governor George Pardee (1903-1906). Ragtime and period music is to be provided by Frederick Hodges.

America celebrates its 250th anniversary!

Today is also the perfect day to get out my copy of National Review's American Classics, and read The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, and The Bill of Rights and Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America. I try to do this annually to refresh my understanding of these documents, and reflect on their goals and ideals. They are a guiding light in a tumultuous time.

July 6, 2026

Party at the Pardee. My husband and I had a great time at the Fourth of July bash at Pardee House in Oakland. We joined friends John, Dale, and Ziva the Guide Dog at the barbeque and musical event. This was our first visit to the historic home and gardens.

Pardee Home Museum in Oakland

Gate to the backyard and water tower (EBMUD 1.0)

The bracketed Italianate villa was built in 1868 by Enoch Pardee, a gold rush immigrant to California who practiced medicine in San Francisco and Oakland and served as mayor of Oakland. He and his wife Mary had one son, George Pardee. George was also a physician, served as mayor of Oakland, Governor of California during the 1906 earthquake, and later lobbied for a water district in the East Bay. He was a long time President of East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), and resident of Oakland. The Pardee Dam was named to honor him, and is still a dominant water source for the region.

Picnic in the shade of two grand old oak trees

Ragtime and 1920s music provided by Frederick Hodges

Tours of the Victorian home and tea parties can be arranged, but they weren't available for the July 4th bash. We sat under the spreading branches of a couple of old oak trees, and feasted on delicious hamburgers, hot dogs, cold salads, corn-on-the-cob, chips and guacamole, baked beans, and delicious desserts. We enjoyed ragtime music from the turn-of-the century, played expertly by Frederick Hodges. My dad loved Scott Joplin music, and I recognized quite a few of the tunes (ragtime music also has an association with Goldrush Alaska, so I am also fond of it). The intimate gathering of about 60 people was a wonderful way to observe America's 250th anniversary!

July 9, 2026

OTHG Hike to Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. This week's Over-the-Hills Gang hike was at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, the site of an ancient volcano that was active 10 million years ago. Mari and I joined the group, led by Anthony Fisher, while Gaymond is on safari in Tanzania! The weather was overcast, foggy, chilly, and even windy at times!

Enjoying "the view" in the heavy morning mist 

Hiking through the misty forest at Sibley Volcanic Regional Park

Our route took us up Round Top Loop Trail, to the Volcanic Trail, and then to the Quarry Pit. The trails are nice and wide, so it's easy to amble along side-by-side and converse. I missed seeing some of the usual views along the trail, but I enjoyed the moist air and moody fog swirling in the oak and eucalyptus trees. We shared the trail with quite a few dog walkers and their dogs, and both seemed to be enjoying the cool, moist air. Our group had our mid-hike cookie break in the Quarry Pit. After a trip around the labyrinth, we feasted on an assortment of cookies for quick energy (lemon, peanut butter, and graham crackers). Life is good! 

"Annika Zinsley loved this place."

Mari and I topped off the hike at TGI Oni Sushi in Montclair Village for bento boxes, and great conversation. While there, Gaymond was able to get an early-morning internet connection from Tanzania, and we were able to see a few photos of his posh safari accommodations and the wildebeest migration! These hikes are so much fun, and the pace and company are excellent. Check the website to learn more about upcoming events at East Bay Regional Parks.

Intrepid hikers on a misty, windy morning at Sibley

July 12, 2026

Fauna and Rocks at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. While at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, we spotted an assortment of interesting plants, flowers, birds, insects, and geological formations. Here are a couple of snapshots.

This Black Swallowtail caterpillar looks like it is wearing a pair of yellow sunglasses on each segment! It is holding on tightly to a tall plant in the swaying breeze, possibly fennel. They love to dine on plants in the carrot family (Apiaceae) such as parsley, dill, fennel, and carrot tops.

Black swallowtail caterpillar (Papilio polyxenes)

 

Orinda Formation river gravels, sands, and mudstones

The Sibley Volcanic Regional Park Welcome Center has a series of informative signs and exhibits that describe the ancient volcano and its natural history, and provide samples of the various rocks and formations in the park. A series of signs deeper into the park provide additional information. The description at the site in above photo describes "redbeds", or streaks and layers in river beds that were caused by oxidation of iron in the sediments. Redbeds sometimes contain fossils of plants and animals.

July 15, 2026

Heading for Alaska. A group of us is heading to Juneau, Alaska to celebrate my Dad's life! He died in December, and July seems like the perfect time to stop and take notice. He was born July 28, 1928, and would have turned 98 this month.

Heading for Juneau, Alaska for a celebration of Dad's life

Dye Project: Preparing Protein Fabric (Scour & Mordant)

I like to have a batch of prepared fabric on hand, so that when I come across an interesting dye source I'm ready to dye. The process involves scouring the fabric to remove impurities, mordanting the fabric so the dye bonds with it, and optionally brightening or saddening the fabric to intensify or modify color and improve its fastness. Last year I documented how to prepare a batch of plant-based fiber, such as cotton and linen, to have on hand (see Dye Project: Preparing your Fabric (Scour, Mordant, Brighten or Sadden).

This year I'm documenting how to prepare a batch of protein-based fiber, such as silk and wool, for a series of projects. The process for preparing protein fabrics is similar to the process used for plant-based fibers. The exception is that wool and silk do not respond well to extreme changes in temperature. For best results, keep it slow and steady when bringing the bath to temperature and cooling it.

Silk scarves - scoured and mordanted

I summarized the process of scouring and mordanting silk briefly back in 2022 in Dye Project: Eco-dyeing Spring Flowers and Plants, by saying that "the fabric was scoured with Orvus paste and soda ash, and mordanted with gallnut" and promising a separate video. I hope to finally fulfill my intentions to record the process in this post.

For this project, I'll be preparing an assortment of protein-based fabrics, including six silk scarves (100%), a couple of silk and wool blend scarves (63% and 37% respectively), and a silk velvet and rayon blend scarf (18% and 82% respectively). I obtained all of the scarves from Dharma Trading. I also have a leftover silk scarf that was prepared in 2022. It does not need to be re-scoured or mordanted, but it will be interesting to see if four years has an impact on the color or light fastness of the material.

Scarf: silk (screenshot from Dharma Trading website)

Scarf: silk/wool blend (screenshot from Dharma Trading website)

Scarf: silk-velvet with rayon background - Leaf2 pattern
(screenshot from Dharma Trading website)

Scouring (Orvus Paste)

Purpose: Scour silk fabric to remove impurities that may compromise dye results. According to the website, silk scarves from Dharma do not need to be scoured, but I'm doing it anyway to be sure. These instructions are based on the process recommended by Maiwa Textiles, which is to use Orvus paste to remove any remains of lanolin or other impurities from the silk fabric (this time I'm not using soda ash with the Orvus paste). Orvus paste has a pH of 7.8 (slightly base). I plan to scour the silk and silk-wool and silk-velvet rayon blends together, as demonstrated by Maiwa.

The basic process for this step:

1. Before you start, weigh the dry fabric and record this value as the Weight of Fabric (WOF).
2. Prewash the fabric in the washing machine, using a textile detergent.
3. Scour the fabric in heated water, using Orvus paste (sometimes called "horse shampoo" or "quilt soap"). 
4. Let the fabric cool down, and then rinse.

Orvus paste, a.k.a., "horse shampoo" or "quilt soap"
(screenshot from Amazon website)

For scouring a pound of fabric, use:

• 1 teaspoon Orvus Paste 

For example, I plan to process 7 ounces of silk and silk blend (almost half a pound, or about 200 grams), so I will use 1/2 teaspoon of Orvus paste.

Scouring protein-based fabric with Orvus paste

Scour the silk fabric:

1. Pre-wash the fabric in the washing machine using 1 teaspoon of textile detergent, such as Synthrapol or Professional Textile Detergent. Hang to dry and process later, or use the damp fabric in the next steps.
2. In a large stainless steel pot, add Orvus paste to about three gallons of water and stir to mix. The pH registers at 5 (moderately acid).
3. Add the damp fabric to the pot and distribute it so that the fabric is not crowded. Add more water if needed to cover the fabric.
4. Heat the water to 140 ℉ (60 ℃), stirring periodically to rotate the fabric. Unlike my experience with scouring plant-based fabrics, the silk and silk blend fabrics did not turn brown with impurities.
5. Maintain the temperature for an hour, periodically stirring the fabric gently to rotate it. After an hour, turn off the heat, and let the water cool down.
6. Remove the fabric from the scouring bath. Rinse it in cool water, and squeeze out excess water. Wash the fabric in the washing machine (cool water, no detergent). Optionally add an extra rinse cycle.
7. At this point you can immerse the wet fabric into your mordant, brightener, or dye bath; or you can air-dry the fabric and store it until needed. Label it so you know that it was scoured.

Rinsing the scoured protein-based fabric

Mordanting (Alum Sulfate)

Purpose: Mordant the scoured protein fabric to prepare it to receive and hold dye. Multiple mordants are available, but here I am using alum sulfate. Optionally I could add cream of tartar for the wool, but cream of tartar is not typically used for silk. Since I'm processing them together, I have chosen not to include cream of tartar. Again, these instructions are based on the process recommended by Maiwa Textiles.

Mordanting the protein-based fabric with alum

Mordant the silk fabric:

1. Prepare a large stainless steel mordant pot by filling it with enough warm water (110º F, or 45º C) to cover the fabric when added, usually a 30:1 ratio of water to fabric.
2. To a small non-reactive container, measure alum at 15% WOF (I'm using 2-3 tablespoons, or about 30-40 grams) Optionally, I could add cream of tartar for the wool at 6% WOF (about 3 to 3.5 teaspoons, or about 12-13 grams). Cream of tartar is not necessary for the silk, so I'll omit it this time; but it wouldn't hurt the silk in a mixed batch, so I may try adding it in a future project.
3. Add very hot water to the container, and stir to dissolve the alum (and the optional cream of tartar).
4. Pour the dissolved alum solution into the large stainless steel pot of water, and stir well. The pH registers at 3 (still moderately acid, but moving toward strongly acid).
5. Add the scoured, wet fiber. Over 30-45 minutes bring the temperature up to 160-180 ºF (70-80 º C).
6. Simmer the silk fabric at 160-180 ºF (70-80 ºC) for one hour. Stir the fabric regularly with a stainless steel spoon so the alum is evenly distributed.
7. Let the mordant bath cool for 20 minutes.
8. Remove the fabric from the mordant bath. Rinse well in cool water, or wash the fabric in the washing machine (cool water, no detergent), with an optional extra rinse cycle. You can store the fabric in a damp white cloth for 24-48 hours (keeping it damp during this entire period), and dye it in the next day or two. Or you can air-dry the fabric and store it until needed.
9. Once completely dry, the mordanted fabric may be stored indefinitely. 

Drip drying protein-based fabric

Ready to Dye

At this point, your silk fabric is scoured, mordanted, and ready to dye. Having a stash of prepared fabric is like having a full pantry that is available when you're ready to cook up a storm. I'm planning to use this batch for several dye projects that use mushrooms,

Prepared protein-based fabric labeled and ready to dye!

Mordanting Additives

When you are ready to dye, you can add additional mordants to the dye bath to further manipulate the dye. For example, you can add more alum to brighten the dye bath or ferrous sulfate to sadden, or darken it. You can add vinegar to make the dye path more acidic, or soda ash or ammonia to make it more alkaline. You can add titanium oxalate to push the dye to a more golden or orange color. Experimenting is part of the fun of dyeing! 

Learn More

• Maiwa School of Textiles "Mordants & Tannins", https://maiwa.teachable.com/p/mordants-tannins (free but you must sign up).

• Maiwa Textiles, "How to Mordant Silk or other Protein Fibres", https://naturaldyes.ca/how-to-mordant-protein (also a free, downloadable PDF file is available).